The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-24

Minneapolis, Dec. Is, 1857 (Specia
Correspondence.) - 1t seems sometime
when one gives the matter a serious
thought, that we are becoming nation:
of city builders. Perhaps nowhere in
the country can this be SO clearly proven
If one were disposed to enter the field
of augmentation as here in the great
Northwest where cities are not only m ul-
tiplying but are reaching magnificent
proportions. Minneapolis in all her
great growth has by no means neglected
her spiritual side, and with the increase
of the more material interests her
churches have kept pace.
Among the many notably fine houses
OF worship which have been erected here
is that of the second Universalist society.
What story might be written with the fri
ais and tribulations of struggling church
to furnish material for the plot, and how
many earnest Christians would find in it
the verbal photograph of their own vari-
ed experiences. The Second church of
Minneapolis which must be the store
house from which we shall draw the ma
terial for this article, was first organized
as mission chapel under the fostering
care of the Church of the Redeemer.
flainly there was on the east side of the
city a fine field for another church of this
popular denomination in Minneapolis, so
in 1888 the permanent foundation of a
new church was laid upon the ground
so we'll prepared by the mission.
The site selected was on Eighth avenue
8. E., between SIKH and Seventh streets.
There were but a few families at the out
set, but they were welded to one idea
the building up OF grand church.
When six months had passed. the church
became self-supportIng and it has con-
tinued so ever since. Slowly and stead
lily the parish grew and at last it became
evident that new edifice must be built
to take the place of the one which, though
modest in it's proportions had been large
enough to supply the earlier demands.
In October, of 1885, the Rev. L. q.
Powers took up the work which had been
begun by the first pastor, the Rev. l.. ID.
Boynton, and soon the new pastor began
casting about him for the necessary
means to supply the needs of his grow
ing church family. He had been a pas
tor at Anoka where he had successfully
built up a thriving church; he had been
an earnest worker in Illinois as the State
Superintendent of the work in that State,
and he had shown himself man who
could put his shoulder to the wheel and
work hard and long. Under his care the
healthy growth of the parish continued
until now there are about fifty families
The old quarters becoming cramped the
pastor and his able co-laborers decided
to build a new church. No sooner de-
cided than acted upon. 1t may be
said in passing, that the greater part of
all the money raised has been secured by
the pastor unaided. The illness of the
chairman Of the building committee
threw upon Br. Powers the main part Of
the burden of looking after the building
proper and he has been personally super
intending the erection OF the chuerh from
the very start.
A gentleman in this city well acquaint-
ed with the growth of Universalism in
Minneapolis told me not long since that
this Second church had done a great
deal more telling work for the size and